We’ve heard of the ketogenic (“keto”) diet, fermented foods, non-dairy milks and plant proteins, but what do they all have in common? They are some of the hottest food and nutrition trends to look for in 2019, according to dietitians surveyed in the 7th annual Pollock Communications and Today’s Dietitian“What’s Trending in Nutrition” survey. With 1,342 registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) responding, the survey divulges what leading RDNs predict consumers are thinking and eating. While fermented foods hold steady as the #1 superfood for 2018 and 2019, some surprising newcomers have made the list, including beets, blueberries and non-dairy milks. And in a shocking switch, RDNs predict that a “healthy” label will begin to surpass cost and taste when it comes to consumer purchase drivers. A not-so-surprising trend dietitians report is the rise of keto as the most popular consumer diet, ousting clean eating from last year’s top spot, with intermittent fasting making its debut as #2. It’s clear from these predictions that consumers are on the hunt for a flat belly and will take extreme diet measures in their pursuit.

“It’s not that “clean eating” has declined in popularity,” says Jenna A. Bell, PhD, RDN, SVP of Pollock Communications. “We are still seeing the consumer push for cleaner labels and the industry continues their work to deliver it. But what’s different here is that millennial consumers are going beyond eliminating a food group, like cutting gluten, to making more drastic changes that require real lifestyle adjustments.” Dr. Bell explains that this movement reflects a greater recognition of the importance of what we eat. She says, “it’s beyond food is medicine; now food is the core of wellness.”

Top 10 Superfoods for 2019

RDNs predict fermented foods – like yogurt, Kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, tempeh, kimchi and miso – will continue to be highly sought after by consumers in 2019, likely for their powerful benefits from boosting gut health to blunting inflammation. Kale has fallen off the top 10 list, with non-dairy milks nabbing the #10 spot. This underscores the rise in popularity of plant proteins and finding plant-based swaps. Other superfood list newcomers, beets and blueberries join this list of dietitian superfood predictions for 2019:

Fermented foods, like yogurt

Avocado

Seeds

Ancient Grains

Exotic fruit, like acai, golden berries

Blueberries

Beets

Nuts

Coconut products

Non-dairy milks

“Plant-based eating has been a major focus in the dietetic community,” says Jenna Bell, RDN, “Now, consumers are hearing this message and it’s what they want.” This is apparent in the growth of seeds, nuts and non-dairy alternatives. The supermarket milk case has gone from cow to soy, rice, almond, coconut, walnut and oats! Consumers are fulfilling their health and protein needs with a diverse number of dairy and non-dairy products.

To Eat or Not to Eat – That is the Trend

Consumers realize that what they eat affects how they feel, and based on the trends reported, RDNs think that consumers are looking for diets that primarily drive weight loss. As RDNs predicted, keto was a diet trend to watch in 2018, and it has soared in popularity. RDNs agree the keto craze will continue in 2019, with consumers significantly reducing carbohydrates, grains and sugar in favor of vegetables, animal fat and meat. According to the survey, RDNs believe the next big diet – or lack thereof – will be intermittent fasting, with clean eating coming in as third most popular.

“We have witnessed a progression in consumer demand for “health” and “clean” throughout the seven years of our survey, and as millennials have been moving into their 30’s,” says Louise Pollock, President of Pollock Communications. “We have seen the food industry respond by changing their strategy from a taste, cost-driven approach to one that appeals to these powerful health and wellness-seeking consumers.”

Choose Wisely – “Healthy” Holds the Halo

One of the most interesting findings for 2019 is RDNs predict that consumers will be more concerned about the healthfulness of food products than the cost and taste when making purchasing decisions. Healthfulness has hovered near the top 3 purchase drivers in recent years, but it’s notable that for the first time it has moved up to the #2 spot, reinforcing the demand for better-for-you food choices. Convenience remains a steady stronghold at #1, with cost and taste at the #3 and #4 spots, followed by natural, organic and gluten-free.

Advice from the Experts – RDNs Know Best

According to RDNs, Facebook is still the #1 source of where consumers receive nutrition misinformation, followed by blogs and Instagram. And celebrities and friends/family remain the top sources of who consumers get nutrition misinformation from. But when in doubt, RDNs feel that it’s always best to ask the experts – RDNs – who agree that consumers should eat more servings of vegetables per day and increase fiber intake, which helps promote a healthy gut and improve overall well-being.

“RDs are experts at predicting trends because they consistently know what to expect from consumers,” says Mara Honicker, publisher of Today’s Dietitian. “Their trustworthy nutrition knowledge educates and improves consumer wellness, and their insights drive the future of food in industry and public policy.”

For more information on Pollock Communications’ expertise and to learn how we can create award-winning programs for your organization or brand, contact us.

You made it! We’re officially in Thanksgiving week and pleased to share the final post of our three-part series sharing how we use our PR and nutrition expertise to tackle Thanksgiving. On to the delicious part!

Holidays are a great time to try new, trendy recipes, but be careful about straying too far from tradition! We are frequently stretching our culinary muscles and coming up with new and creative ways to prepare healthy foods and beverages. On holidays, I love cooking a combination of innovative dishes and beloved classics. I highlight traditional ingredients in delicious and imaginative ways during Thanksgiving by serving a cranberry salsa, but always have my favorite, jellied cranberry sauce, for myself and guests!

This Thanksgiving, find some unique ways to try new recipes, but remember to keep those classics – it just isn’t the same without them!

Happy Thanksgiving from the team at Pollock Communications!

For more information on Pollock Communications’ food and nutrition expertise and to learn how we can create award-winning programs for your organization or brand, contact us.

We’re coming at you with the second post of our three-part series sharing how we use our PR and nutrition expertise to tackle Thanksgiving! Our last post ended with a reminder for just HOW LONG it can take to thaw a frozen turkey. As you head into the weekend before Thanksgiving, decide when you’re purchasing your turkey (if you haven’t already), size, and when you will need to put it in the fridge.

Speaking of safely thawing a turkey, being a dietitian makes me a stickler for food safety and working in PR has me keeping my eye on many moving pieces, just like when I’m cooking for a holiday. Before preparing holiday meals, read about the best ways to keep food safe. My top tips:

Wash your hands, counters, utensils and cutting boards after each use

Avoid cross-contamination by using separate cutting boards and utensils for produces, meat, poultry, seafood and eggs (even bag them separately at the supermarket)

Put food away – whether you’re done eating or are in the middle of preparing, refrigerate perishable foods within two hours (while that may seem like a lot of time, it’s easy to lose track when you’re cooking or catching up with family)

Be mindful of using dish towels, these can become inadvertent hot spots for bacteria, read more

No matter if you’re in an office or home, full-time or part-time, getting ready for a holiday is hard work! There are lots of skills and traits that we use at work that help us prepare for and have a successful holiday. We’re pleased to share a three-part blog series to share how we use our PR and nutrition expertise to tackle Thanksgiving!

PlanningThe Menu: Planning Thanksgiving dinner plays right into my strengths as a PR professional. When I first started hosting Thanksgiving, I created a document that outlined guests attending, courses, dishes and ingredients for each recipe. This all-in-one file is the list of foods I need to prepare as well as my ready-to-print shopping list when it’s time to hit the store. Saving this as a document means that it’s at my fingertips for years to come. This year, all I need to do was open my 2017 file and save it for 2018 and already half my planning was done!

The Shopping: With a busy, full-time schedule, shopping is difficult, and I refuse to do all my shopping in the short evenings before Thanksgiving Thursday! As added incentive to shop ahead, some supermarkets offer deals, like a free turkey (!!!), when you spend a certain amount of money leading up to Thanksgiving. With my handy-dandy menu/shopping list document, I can prioritize my shopping based on perish-ability and purchase some items 1-2 weeks ahead of time to cut down on what I need when stores are most crowded. And remember it takes DAYS to thaw a frozen turkey. Depending on the weight, you may need up to six days in the fridge to thaw it. Visit foodsafety.gov for thawing times.

Decide What to Delegate: Chances are, you’ve invited over friends and family eager to help. Decide what would be helpful to have someone else bring and ask! Just like in the office, teamwork is key! No need to be a Thanksgiving hero and do it all when you have plenty of loved ones eager to contribute!

As a leading registered dietitian with a PhD in exercise physiology, Jenna Bell, Senior Vice President and Director of Food & Wellness at Pollock Communications is often quoted in the media. Most recently, US Newstapped her expertise in food and nutrition to help its readers understand How to Eat Vegan During Pregnancy. Check out the article and Jenna’s insights here…https://health.usnews.com/wellness/family/slideshows/how-to-eat-vegan-during-pregnancy